About the Empire State Animal Response Team Providing rapid assistance
The Empire State Animal Response Team (ESART) Program supports the prevention of, preparedness for, response to, and recovery from emergencies affecting animals in New York State. ESART was created through a private-public partnership to serve as a unifying network of organizations, businesses, government agencies, and individuals dedicated to animal safety and emergency response. The program is overseen by the Department of Agriculture and Markets.
Because disaster response begins and ends at the local level, ESART promotes the creation of County Animal Response Teams (CARTs). ESART provides support to CARTs through specialized training opportunities, planning guidance, and resource coordination, and by providing information concerning regulatory actions and best practices that may be useful to county teams. CARTs are the actual responding units that are activated and deployed by county emergency management during disasters.
Manage a CART Counties: Learn how to manage or create a CART
The ability to provide rapid, professional assistance at the local level can mean the difference between a successful response and a tragedy. ESART provides assistance to county emergency managers for CART development and coordination, as well as training opportunities for CART volunteers and more.